1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to communications via the Internet; and, more particularly, it relates to an embedded facsimile over Internet protocol into a variety of devices.
2. Related Art
In conventional systems that are operable to transmit facsimile (fax) over the Internet, the burden is commonly placed upon the Internet service providers (ISPs) to perform and provide the fax over Internet protocol. FIG. 1 shows a conventional embodiment 100 where ISPs support a fax over Internet protocol session. A fax #1 110 dials into a telephone network provider #1 120. The telephone network provider #1 120 then couples to an ISP #1 130. The ISP #1 130 is operable to perform the fax over Internet protocol 132, most commonly implemented as a T38 protocol 134. The ISP #1 130 communicates to an ISP#2 135 via an Internet protocol network 199. The Internet protocol network 199 is itself the Internet in some embodiments, and it is a private dedicated network operating using an Internet protocol in others. The ISP #2 135, similar to the ISP #1 130, is operable to perform the fax over Internet protocol 137, again most commonly implemented as a T38 protocol 139. The ISP #2 125 then contacts a telephone network provider #2 125 that calls a fax #2 115 to complete the fax transaction. As shown within the FIG. 1, the connection between the fax #1 110 and the fax #2 115, represented by the L1-L3-L4-L5-L6 connections, is a fax over Internet protocol session.
Similarly, a client 150 employing a class 1, class 2, or class 2.0 fax modem and fax software package is also operable to send a fax to the fax #2 115 using the ISP provided fax over Internet protocol. The client 150 is any number of computers including a laptop computer 151 or a personal computer 152. The client 150 dials into the telephone network provider #1 120. The telephone network provider #1 120 then couples to the ISP #1 130. The ISP #1 130 performs the fax over Internet protocol 132. The ISP #1 130 communicates to the ISP#2 135 via the Internet protocol network 199. The ISP #2 125 then contacts the telephone network provider #2 125 that calls the fax #2 115 to complete the fax transaction. As shown within the FIG. 1, the connection between the client 150 and the fax #2 115, represented by the L2-L3-L4-L5-L6 connections, in is also a fax over Internet protocol session.
One deficiency in the conventional fax over Internet protocol, in it being supported by an ISP as shown in the FIG. 1, is that when a user of the client 150 is performing any Internet access session (other than a fax over Internet protocol session), that user must first de-couple from his current Internet access session in order to perform his fax over Internet protocol session.
Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional systems will become apparent to one of skill in the art through comparison of such systems with the present invention as set forth in the remainder of the present application with reference to the drawings.